Modify
Snap Tool & Drag ToolBefore you go any further make sure you understand the difference between the Drag Tool and the Snap Tool. Both tools let you interactively move Points around, more effectively than selecting a Point and using the Move Tool. The Snap Tool has the addition of snapping Points into place. It's a core concept and something easily overlooked, by the unassuming name. The Drag Tool Numeric Panel also allows you to adjust the Falloff. This can be useful if you want to drag Polygons instead of Points. Note: Get into the practice of deleting trash Polygons and 'Merge Points' as you work, especially if converting to a Sub-Patch.
Modify > Move > Snap (G Key)
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Spline GuideThe 'Spline Guide' gives you added control when Bending, Twisting, Stretching and Sizing an object. Be sure to check the Numeric Panel to access all the hidden features of this tool. It also allows you to save out a resulting Curve which can then be re-applied to another object. This is achieved by placing the Curve in the Background Layer and using 'Get Background Curve' from the Spline Guide Numeric Panel. Modify > Stretch > Spline Guide
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Smooth & JitterJitter is great for creating fabric and rock surfaces, plus adding a random element to your work. It's important to think of strategies for adding imperfection, creating randomness and chaos. Perfection is something we strive for in reality, but seldom ever achieve. With 3D you need to consciously add the imperfections to keep it real. 'Smooth' is the opposite of Jitter. To get the best smoothing results, set a high value for 'Iterations'. This value specifies the number of times that the smoothing algorithm is applied.
Modify > Deform > Jitter (J Key)
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Quantize, Spherize & SquarizeThis is a simple example to demonstrate the Quantize Tool. It can be used to snap points to specific spacing intervals. While your at it, check out the Spherize and Squarize Commands which work in a similar fashion. You may have to scan the 'Legacy_Plugins' folder to find the 'Spherize' tool.
Modify > Deform > Quantize
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Vortex ToolThe Vortex tool is good for creating swirl-like patterns. If working with a mesh, try pushing Polygons rather than Points, as you can end up with some tight swirls and overlapping Faces. Also remember to use the Numeric panel to define the area of influence. An alternative to this is to use the 'Command' Key + Drag out the area of influence (RMB for PC Users). Keep in mind that the area of influence can be defined in 3D space so you may need to drag in the top Viewport as well as one of the side Viewports. Modify > Rotate > Vortex
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The Vortex Tool & One PointersThe Vortex tool is also good when setting up Morph Targets for particle FX. In this example I was working with a cloud of Single-Point Polygons, using Morph Mixer to animate. It's beyond the scope of these pages to diverge into animation techniques but I wanted to cover the process of creating One-Point-Polys.
Create > Elements > Spray Points
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